Baffert 1-2 in Bob Hope S. (G3)
Havnameltdown held off stablemate Newgate to win Sunday’s $100,000 Bob Hope S. (G3) by 1 ¼-lengths. The victory was the second graded win for the Bob Baffert trainee, who took the Best Pal S. (G3) in August over the same Del Mar oval.
Baffert now has 12 wins in the Bob Hope, previously known as the Hollywood Prevue S. when run at Hollywood Park.
Baffert’s third runner in the seven-furlong Bob Hope was Hard to Figure, who broke on top and was hard to handle as he bore out several paths from the rail on the backstretch. Havnameltdown and Newgate were in close pursuit of the leader and went by him going into the turn. The pair ran 1-2 the rest of the way, with Newgate never getting within a length of the winner.
The final time on a fast track was 1:21.68.
“He broke nice and easy today,” said winning rider Juan Hernandez. “Before in his races, he was sling-shotting out of there. Today, he was more professional. He’s learning how to run. After we cleared that other horse, I had a nice trip from there.”
Havnameltdown is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. He is 3-1-0 in four starts this year, with his lone loss a second to the trio’s Cave Rock in the Del Mar Futurity (G1).